1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in carburetors, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation to a fuel impact device for increasing atomization of fuel prior to entry of the fuel into the manifold of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In light of the present day energy shortage many attempts have been made to increase the efficiency of fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine or the like. It is widely acknowledged that atomization of the fuel prior to combustion thereof greatly increases the efficient use of the fuel in that a greater percentage of the fuel is ignited and burned in the combustion chamber. This not only provides more efficient use of the fuel but also greatly reduces the discharge of noxious elements into the atmosphere in reducing the exhaust gases of the engine. Many attempts to vaporize fuel have been made in the past such as those shown in the Boatright et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,205,388 issue June 25, 1940 and entitled "Fuel Vaporizing Apparatus for Internal Combustion Engines"; The McCauley U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,716 issued Apr. 27, 1976 and entitled "Fuel Conservation Means for Internal Combustion Engines and the Like"; the Thomas, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,548 issued May 11, 1976 and entitled "Fuel/Air Mixing Device for Internal Combustion Engine Carburetor"; the Knox, Sr. U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,850, issued Mar. 15, 1977 and entitled "Fuel Vaporizer for Internal Combustion Engines"; the McCauley U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,082, issued Nov. 22, 1977 and entitled "Fuel Conservation Means for Internal Combustion Engines and the Like"; the Kumm et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,028 issued May 8, 1979 and entitled "Atomizer" and the Moore U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,653 issued May 9, 1979 and entitled "Fuel Induction System for Internal Combustion Engines".
These patents disclose various means for the vaporization of fuel and are generally concerned with heating of the fuel for vaporization thereof. In actual practice, however, none of the present day devices achieve anything close to a one hundred percent vaporization of the fuel and, of course, any improvement or increasing of the percentage of vaporization of the fuel can result in economy and environmental improvements.
The present invention contemplates a fuel impact device particularly designed and constructed for increasing the vaporization of fuel in an internal combustion engine and achieving such fuel vaporization in an economical and feasible manner. The novel device comprises a rotatable element having the fuel delivered essentially to the center thereof and discharged at the peripheral edge thereof as the device spins within a housing. The discharging fuel is impinged or impacted against the periphery of the housing surrounding the rotatable element and enters the air stream at a void area in the air stream. The void area in the air stream is created by an air foil configuration provided at the air stream outlet. The rotating element may be considered a fuel accelerator wheel and it is preferable to use low pressure fuel, maintaining the pressure at the outlet end of the fuel line at a relatively low pressure for maintaining a stream of fuel entering the fuel accelerator wheel instead of the injection of fuel droplets into the wheel, thus improving the efficient direction of the fluid from the peripheral port provided at the outer edge of the fuel wheel. In addition a spring urged door or accelerator gate means is provided responsive to the normal engine operation for directing the air stream into the fuel area in accordance with the engine's operational demands. The novel fuel impact device is simple and efficient in operation and economical and durable in construction.